U.S. patent number 7,237,789 [Application Number 11/073,191] was granted by the patent office on 2007-07-03 for detachable axle and hitch assembly.
Invention is credited to Anthony Herman.
United States Patent |
7,237,789 |
Herman |
July 3, 2007 |
Detachable axle and hitch assembly
Abstract
A hitch and axle assembly including a support structure
detachably securable to a vehicle and an axle assembly. A hitch is
mountable on the support structure. The axle assembly includes a
primary axle member defining a primary axis. Torsion beam
assemblies are coupled to opposite lateral sides of the primary
axle member. The torsion beam assemblies each include a torsion
member that extends substantially coincident with the primary axis
and a lever arm that extends substantially transversely from the
torsion member. Wheel assemblies are mounted on a distal portion of
the lever arms wherein the wheel assemblies each define an axis of
rotation that is parallel and spaced from the primary axis. The two
wheel axes are substantially coincident. The torsion bar assemblies
may be rotationally adjustable relative to the primary axle to
thereby provide for the vertical adjustment of the wheel
assemblies.
Inventors: |
Herman; Anthony (Pierceton,
IN) |
Family
ID: |
38196715 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/073,191 |
Filed: |
March 4, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
280/476.1;
280/405.1; 280/490.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60D
1/485 (20130101); B60D 1/54 (20130101); B62D
61/12 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B60D
1/00 (20060101); B62D 53/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;280/405.1,476.1,483-485,489,490.1,493,494,679,684 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Morris; Lesley D.
Assistant Examiner: Scharich; Marc A
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Botkin & Hall, LLP
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A hitch and axle assembly adapted for use with a vehicle; said
assembly comprising: a support structure detachably securable to
the vehicle; a hitch mounted on said support structure; and an axle
assembly, said axle assembly comprising: a primary axle member
extending laterally from proximate a first lateral side of said
support structure to proximate an opposite second lateral side of
said support structure, said primary axle member defining a primary
axis; a first torsion beam assembly coupled to said primary axle
member proximate said first lateral side, said first torsion beam
assembly including a first torsion member extending substantially
coincident with said primary axis and a first lever arm extending
substantially transversely from said first torsion member; a first
wheel assembly mounted on a distal portion of said first lever arm
wherein said first wheel assembly defines a first axis of rotation
parallel and spaced from said primary axis; a second torsion beam
assembly coupled to said primary axle member proximate said second
lateral side, said second torsion beam assembly including a second
torsion member extending substantially coincident with said primary
axis and a second lever arm extending substantially transversely
from said second torsion member; and a second wheel assembly
mounted on a distal portion of said second lever arm wherein said
second wheel assembly defines a second axis of rotation parallel
and spaced from said primary axis and wherein said first and second
axes of rotation are substantially coincident, and said first and
second torsion beam assemblies are each rotationally adjustably
coupled to said primary axle member wherein rotational adjustment
of said first and second torsion beam assemblies rotates said first
and second lever arms respectively and thereby selectively adjusts
a vertical distance between said primary axis and said first and
second axes of rotation respectively.
2. The hitch and axle assembly of claim 1 wherein securement of
said support structure to the vehicle disposes said support
structure below a chassis of the vehicle, positions said first and
second wheel assemblies laterally outwardly of the vehicle and
positions said support structure wherein said hitch is mountable at
a location proximate a rear end of the vehicle.
3. The hitch and axle assembly of claim 1 wherein said support
structure includes a first longitudinally extending member having a
first upper flange and a second longitudinally extending member
having a second upper flange, said first and second longitudinal
members being positioned proximate said first and second lateral
sides respectively and wherein each of said first and second upper
flanges are supportingly engageable with the vehicle.
4. The hitch and axle assembly of claim 3 further comprising first
and second structural plates secured respectively to said first and
second longitudinal members and extending downwardly therefrom,
said primary axle member extending between and secured to said
first and second structural plates.
5. The hitch and axle assembly of claim 4 further comprising a
plurality of bracing members extending laterally between said first
and second structural plates.
6. The hitch and axle assembly of claim 4 wherein said first and
second torsion beam assemblies are coupled to said primary axle
member by said first and second structural plates respectively, and
said first and second torsion beam assemblies are rotationally
adjustably mounted on said first and second structural plates
respectively.
7. A pickup pick-up truck assembly comprising: a vehicle including
a chassis and a truck bed; a support structure detachably securable
to said chassis; a hitch mountable on said support structure; and
an axle assembly, said axle assembly comprising: a primary axle
member extending laterally from proximate a first lateral side of
said support structure to proximate an opposite second lateral side
of said support structure, said primary axle member defining a
primary axis; a first torsion beam assembly coupled to said primary
axle member proximate said first lateral side, said first torsion
beam assembly including a first torsion member extending
substantially coincident with said primary axis and a first lever
arm extending substantially transversely from said first torsion
member; a first wheel assembly mounted on a distal portion of said
first lever arm wherein said first wheel assembly defines a first
axis of rotation parallel and spaced from said primary axis; a
second torsion beam assembly coupled to said primary axle member
proximate said second lateral side, said second torsion beam
assembly including a second torsion member extending substantially
coincident with said primary axis and a second lever arm extending
substantially transversely from said second torsion member; and a
second wheel assembly mounted on a distal portion of said second
lever arm wherein said second wheel assembly defines a second axis
of rotation parallel and spaced from said primary axis and wherein
said first and second axes of rotation are substantially
coincident, and said first and second torsion beam assemblies are
each rotationally adjustably coupled to said primary axle member
wherein rotational adjustment of said first and second torsion beam
assemblies rotates said first and second lever arms respectively
and thereby adjusts a vertical distance between said primary axis
and said first and second axes of rotation respectively.
8. The pick-up truck assembly of claim 7 wherein securement of said
support structure to said chassis disposes said support structure
below said truck bed, positions said first and second wheel
assemblies laterally outwardly of said truck bed and positions said
support structure wherein said hitch is mountable at a location
proximate a rear end of said truck bed.
9. The pick-up truck assembly of claim 7 wherein said support
structure includes a first longitudinally extending member having a
first upper flange and a second longitudinally extending member
having a second upper flange, said first and second longitudinal
members being positioned proximate said first and second lateral
sides respectively and wherein each of said first and second upper
flanges are supportingly engageable with said chassis.
10. The pick-up truck assembly of claim 9 wherein a plurality of
threaded fasteners detachably secure said first and second upper
flanges to said chassis.
11. The pick-up truck assembly of claim 9 further comprising first
and second structural plates secured respectively to said first and
second longitudinal members and extending downwardly therefrom,
said primary axle member extending between and secured to said
first and second structural plates.
12. The pick-up truck assembly of claim 11 further comprising a
plurality of bracing members extending laterally between said first
and second structural plates.
13. The pick-up truck assembly of claim 11 wherein said first and
second torsion beam assemblies are coupled to said primary axle
member by said first and second structural plates respectively, and
said first and second torsion beam assemblies are rotationally
adjustably mounted on said first and second structural plates
respectively.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vehicles having a towing hitch
and, more specifically, to an axle and hitch assembly that can be
attached to an existing vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known in the art to use a trailer dolly with a trailer when
towing a trailer having a significant tongue weight. Such trailer
dollies provide support for the trailer tongue and limit the load
placed on the rear axle of the tow vehicle.
Pickup trucks are oftentimes used as tow vehicles. When the pickup
truck is not being used as a tow vehicle it may be used to haul
items in its truck bed. While a conventional trailer dolly is
useful for supporting a trailer tongue load that would otherwise be
placed on the rear axle of the pickup truck, such trailer dollies
are not typically adapted to help support a load placed on the bed
of the pickup truck.
Various other apparatus have also been developed that can be used
to at least partially support the load of a pickup truck. Examples
of such apparatus include U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,804 and U.S. Pat. No.
6,224,083. Such apparatus, however, may increase the overall length
of the truck or require installation in the bed of the truck,
either of which may possibly interfere with the operation of the
truck.
An improved apparatus that can be used with a pickup truck or other
tow vehicle to increase the tongue weight that can be placed on the
truck by a trailer and which may also be used to increase the
capacity of the truck with regard to the load in its truck bed is
desirable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a hitch and axle assembly that can
be detachably secured to a vehicle to thereby facilitate the towing
of trailer with a significant tongue weight and which is also
useful to increase the load capacity of the vehicle in the absence
of an attached trailer.
The invention comprises, in one form thereof, a hitch and axle
assembly adapted for use with a vehicle and which includes a
support structure detachably securable to the vehicle, a hitch
mounted on said support structure, and an axle assembly. The axle
assembly includes a primary axle member extending laterally from a
first lateral side of the support structure to an opposite second
lateral side of the support structure and defines a primary axis. A
first torsion beam assembly is coupled to the primary axle member
on the first lateral side. The first torsion bar assembly includes
a first torsion member that extends substantially coincident with
the primary axis and a first lever arm that extends substantially
transversely from the first torsion member. A first wheel assembly
is mounted on a distal portion of the first lever arm wherein the
first wheel assembly defines a first axis of rotation that is
parallel and spaced from the primary axis. A second torsion beam
assembly is coupled to the primary axle member on the second
lateral side. The second torsion beam assembly includes a second
torsion member that extends substantially coincident with the
primary axis and a second lever arm that extends substantially
transversely from the second torsion member. A second wheel
assembly is mounted on a distal portion of the second lever arm
wherein the second wheel assembly defines a second axis of rotation
that is parallel and spaced from the primary axis. The first and
second axes of rotation defined by the first and second wheel
assemblies are substantially coincident.
In alternative embodiments of the invention, the first and second
torsion beam assemblies are each rotationally adjustably coupled to
the primary axle member. Rotational adjustment of the first and
second torsion beam assemblies rotates the first and second lever
arms respectively and thereby selectively adjusts a vertical
distance between the primary axis and the first and second axes of
rotation. This allows the wheels to be easily adjusted to properly
engage the ground surface after the apparatus has been secured to a
vehicle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above mentioned and other features of this invention, and the
manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the
invention itself will be better understood by reference to the
following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a side view of a pickup truck with an attached hitch and
axle assembly.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the hitch and axle assembly.
FIG. 3 is a side view of the hitch and axle assembly showing its
attachment to the pickup truck chassis.
FIG. 4 is a top view of the hitch and axle assembly.
FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of the pickup truck and attached
hitch and axle assembly.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts
throughout the several views. Although the exemplification set out
herein illustrates an embodiment of the invention, in one form, the
embodiment disclosed below is not intended to be exhaustive or to
be construed as limiting the scope of the invention to the precise
form disclosed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A pickup truck 20 that can be used with the present invention is
shown in FIG. 1. Truck 20 is a conventional pickup truck and
includes a cab 22, a truck bed 24, a front axle 26 and a rear axle
28. A hitch and axle assembly 30 is attached to truck 20 and is
best seen in FIG. 2.
Assembly 30 includes a hitch mounting tube 32 in which a hitch
member 34 is removably mounted. Hitch mounting tube 32 has a
standard construction well known to those having ordinary skill in
the art. Mounting tube 32 receives a conventional hitch member 34
having a standard ball hitch 35. Ball hitch 35 can be engaged with
the tongue of a trailer, recreational vehicle or other mobile
structure that is to be towed. Customized hitch members may also be
received in hitch mounting tube 32 to tow trailers which are not
engageable with a standard ball hitch.
Hitch mounting tube 32 is supported by and extends rearwardly from
support structure 36. Support structure 36 includes first and
second longitudinal members 38a, 38b, rear lateral member 44,
intermediate lateral member 46, structural plates 48a, 48b,
laterally extending bracing members 52 and longitudinally extending
bracing members 54 which are all welded together to form rigid
support frame. First and second longitudinal members 38a, 38b are
each formed of a structural steel plate and include upper flanges
40a, 40b and vertical webs 42a, 42b respectively. In the
illustrated embodiment, first longitudinal member 38a defines a
first lateral side 43a of support structure 36 while second
longitudinal member 38b defines a second lateral side 43b of
support structure 36. Structural members 44, 46, 52 and 54 are all
structural steel tubes. Structural plates 48a, 48b each include
stiffening ribs 50 formed of steel plate and welded to plates 48a,
48b.
Assembly 30 also includes an axle assembly 56 which supports the
load transferred from hitch mounting tube 32 to support structure
36. Axle assembly 56 includes a primary axle member 58 and first
and second torsion beam assemblies 60a, 60b. Primary axle member 58
defines a laterally extending primary axis 59 and extends between
the opposite lateral sides 43a, 43b of support structure 36.
Primary axle member 58 is a structural steel tube which extends
with clearance through inner mounting plates 84 which are, in turn,
welded to the inward facing surfaces of structural plates 48a,
48b.
Torsion beam assemblies that can be used to provide a suspension
mechanism for a wheel assembly are known to those having ordinary
skill in the art and assemblies 60a, 60b have a conventional
construction. Torsion beam assemblies 60a, 60b each include a
torsion member 62a, 62b and a lever arm 64a, 64b. Torsion members
62a, 62b form the end portions of primary axle member 58 and extend
in alignment, or coincidentally, with primary axis 59. Lever arms
64a, 64b extend transversely to primary axis 59 and have wheel
assemblies 68a, 68b respectively coupled to their distal ends 66a,
66b.
Each of the wheel assemblies 68a, 68b include a wheel hub assembly
72a, 72b that extends laterally outwardly from its associated lever
arm 64a, 64b and has a wheel 70a, 70b mounted thereon. Fenders 74
are mounted on torsion beam assemblies 60a, 60b and cover the top
of wheels 70a, 70b which, in the illustrated embodiment, are
conventional automobile tires. The wheel assemblies 68a, 68b each
respectively define a rotational axis 71a, 71b which are oriented
parallel to primary axis 59 but longitudinally spaced therefrom.
The rotational axes 71a, 71b are substantially aligned, i.e.,
coincident, with each other.
Mounting plates 76 are used to rotationally adjustably attach
torsion beam assemblies 60a, 60b to structural plates 48a, 48b.
Mounting plates 76 are formed of structural steel plate with
torsion members 62a, 62b are welded thereto. Mounting plates 76
also have arcuate slots 78 located therein. Slots 78 are located at
a common radial distance from primary axis 59 and extend
circumferentially through an arc of approximately 20-30 degrees.
The shaft of bolts 82 extend through slots 78 and are secured with
bolts on the laterally inner surface of mounting plates 84. Slots
78 allow torsion beam assemblies 60a, 60b to be rotated about axis
59 by loosening nuts 84, adjustably rotating assemblies 60a, 60b to
their desired rotational positions, and then securing assemblies
60a, 60b in place by tightening nuts 84. Mounting plates 76 also
serve to secure primary axle member 58 against longitudinal
movement relative to structural plates 48a and 48b.
As best seen in FIG. 4, longitudinal members 38a, 38b and,
consequently, attached structural plates 48a, 48b, extend in a
substantially longitudinal direction but are not at a precise 90
degree angle relative to primary axis 59. Thus, shims 77 are used
to position bearing plates 79 at a 90 degree angle relative to
primary axis 59. Shims 77 and bearing plates 79 are securely welded
to structural plates 48a, 48b and bearing plates 79 provide a
surface against which mounting plates 76 can rotate while retaining
torsion members 60a, 60b in alignment with primary axis 59.
Support structure is mounted to the underside of chassis 88 of
truck 20. As seen in FIGS. 2-4, chassis 88 includes two
substantially longitudinal members 90 which each have a lower
flange 91. When securing assembly 30 to truck 20, the upper flanges
40a, 40b of longitudinal members 38a, 38b are each brought into
abutting contact with the lower flanges 91 of chassis members 90
(FIG. 3). Bolts 96 are then passed through apertures 92 in upper
flanges 38a, 38b and through corresponding apertures in lower
flanges 91. Nuts 94 are then used to firmly secure flanges 38a, 38b
into supporting engagement with lower flanges 91. The use of
threaded fasteners such as nuts 94 and bolts 96 allows assembly 30
to be easily detached from truck 20 when it is not needed. If the
lower flanges 91 do not include openings or slots through which
bolts 96 can be inserted, such apertures can be drilled
therethrough or other suitable attachment means may be used to
secure support structure 36 to chassis 88.
After support structure 36 has been attached to chassis 88, the
rotational position of torsion beam assemblies 60a, 60b can be
adjusted as required. The vertical height at which longitudinal
members 38a, 38b engage chassis 88 may vary between trucks or vary
for a particular truck 20 due to a change in the suspension
springs, tires or other part of truck 20. The vertical distance
between primary axis 59 and upper flanges 40a, 40b is fixed in the
illustrated embodiment and, consequently, it may be necessary to
vary the vertical distance between rotational axes 71a, 71b, and
primary axis 59 to properly position wheel assemblies 68a, 68b for
weight bearing engagement with the ground surface.
As described above slots 78 extend through an arc of approximately
20-30 degrees and this allows torsion beam assemblies 60a, 60b to
be adjustably rotated through an arc of similar magnitude. The
actual rotational adjustment range of assemblies 60a, 60b will be
slightly less than the arc defined by slots 78 due to the shaft
thickness of bolt 82. As best seen in FIG. 3, by rotationally
adjusting assemblies 60a, 60b, rotational axes 71a, 71b can be
adjustably positioned as represented by arrows 86. This rotational
adjustment rotates axes 71a, 71b about primary axis 59 and, as
oriented in the illustrated embodiment, results primarily in the
vertical adjustment of axes 71a, 71b. Once wheel assemblies 68a,
68b have been adjusted to their desired positions, bolts 82/nuts 80
on each lateral side of assembly 30 are tightened to thereby secure
assemblies 68a, 68b in their desired positions. This adjustment of
wheel assemblies 68a, 68b is most conveniently conducted on a
relatively flat level ground surface so that, although the
rotational axes 71a, 71b will not remain perfectly aligned after
such adjustment, they will be in substantial alignment.
Torsion beam assemblies 60a, 60b act as suspension members for
wheel assemblies 68a, 68b respectively. As wheel assemblies 68a,
68b move vertically, they will cause the rotation of lever arms
64a, 64b about primary axis 59. Lever arms 64a, 64b are attached to
the outer ends of torsion bars located within the torsion members
62a, 62b. The inner ends of the torsion bars are attached to
torsion members 62a, 62b. Consequently, the rotation of lever arms
64a, 64b will apply a torque to the torsion bars within torsion
members 62a, 62b which are secured against rotation by mounting
plates 76. The torsion bars experience resilient strain as a result
of this torque and act as spring members, allowing limited vertical
movement of wheel assemblies 68a, 68b, while urging wheel
assemblies back toward their neutral position (i.e., the at rest
position of torsion members 62a, 62b).
As may be seen in FIGS. 3 and 5, the illustrated embodiment
provides an apparatus wherein support structure 36 is attached to
chassis 88 below truck bed 24. This configuration does not
interfere with the placement of a load in bed 24, and assembly 30
may be used with truck 20 to increase the capacity of truck bed 24
when truck 20 is not being used as a tow vehicle. Assembly 30 may
also enhance the capacity of truck bed 24 when truck 20 is being
used as a tow vehicle.
As also seen in FIGS. 3 and 5, wheel assemblies 68a, 68b are
located laterally outwardly of truck bed 24 and do not extend
rearwardly of rear end 100 of truck 20. This configuration allows
hitch ball 35 to be positioned at a location proximate rear bumper
98 that is similar to the typical position of a conventional ball
hitch that is mounted directly to a pickup truck. This positioning
of the ball hitch proximate rear end 100 can be useful when
maneuvering truck 20 in tight spaces where the use of truck with an
excessive length could be problematic.
While this invention has been described as having an exemplary
design, the present invention may be further modified within the
spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore
intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the
invention using its general principles.
* * * * *